Vegan Diet Blamed For Baby's Hospitalization For Malnutrition

A baby in Milan, Italy has been taken back from their parents by hospital authorities over the deteriorating health condition. According to the doctor, a vegan lifestyle and diet are to be blamed for the condition of the baby.

According to the doctors, the 14-month-old baby weighs only slightly more than a 3-month old infant. The parents of the baby kept him on a vegan diet without providing any additional dietary supplement. The baby was severely malnourished and suffered from dangerously low levels of calcium.

In addition, the baby had to undergo an emergency operation at the hospital because of a congenital heart disease. The doctors believe that low levels of calcium in the body of the baby triggered the formation of a complicated heart condition that warranted immediate medical attention.

The hospital later reported the case to the social services and the parents have already lost their rights to the custody of their child. Luca Bernardo, director of pediatrics at the hospital, believes that the case forces everyone to reflect on the uncommon feeding practices.

Without taking reference of what is right or a wrong habit, Bernardo said that selecting an unusual or different kind of diet for the baby is not a problem. However, in this case, the baby should have been provided with calcium and iron supplements since the time of birth.

Recently, there have been several cases of malnutrition associated with children who are fed a vegetarian diet since the time of birth. For example, in June, a 2-year-old girl was hospitalized in Genoa for several days. The doctors discovered that she suffered from severe vitamin deficiency and severely low levels of haemoglobin.

Similar cases have been observed in other countries as well. A couple was given a life sentence in 2007 after their baby died of starvation in 2004.